Asparagus plant

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of male asparagus plant primarily characterized by its high lateral branching at or above the 16th node (about 17.5 inches above the soil level), its vigorous growth and production of between 25 to 35 canes per season which grow to a height between six and eight feet at plant maturity and further characterized by its ability to produce fast growing spears with tight heads and which are straight, round, and smooth.

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct male clone of asparagusdesignated as M-120. Plant M-120 was selected from a plot of varietyU.C. 309, which was planted at the University of California AgriculturalExperiment Station, Riverside, Calif., in 1963. The source of seed forthe U.C. 309 planting was obtained from Mr. J. Hanna, formerly a memberof the Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis,Calif.

Male plant M-120 is a vigorous growing, multi-caned plant. A wellestablished M-120 plant, three years or older in age, will producebetween 25 and 35 canes per season. The diameter of the canes measuredat soil level will range between 3/4 and 1 inch in diameter.

Plant growth is erect and the foliage, referred to as fern, will exceedsix feet in height with lateral branches extending about three feet inall directions. The foliage and canes are Dark Green (Plate XVIII) incolor. The first lateral branching occurs about 17.5 inches above thesoil level and exhibits a plant characteristic referred to as "highbranching." This characteristic is a particularly distinguishing onefrom other known varieties of asparagus plant.

Asparagus is a dioecious plant, individual plants being either male orfemale in sex.

In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 shows typical male parts of M-120; and

FIG. 2 shows the "high branching" characteristic of M-120 and thenumerous canes per plant developed in one season.

The only existing methods of asexual reproduction of asparagus plantsfor the multiplication of plants of this invention are crown division ortissue culture. The plant of this invention has been asexuallyreproduced by tissue culture techniques which are more conducive tolarge scale multiplication of asparagus plants than is crown division.

The colors designated hereinafter are approximate and may vary withseveral factors including soil type, nutrition, temperature andmaturity. The colors have been determined by comparison to the colors in"Color Standards and Color Nomenclature" by Robert Ridgway, Washington,D.C., 1912.

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

Spear: Emerges early in the spring, fast growing, straight, round,smooth with slow taper. Heads are very tight, smooth and initiatelateral branches at or above the 16th node when the spears are 11 to 12inches in height. Spear color is Biscay Green (Plate XVII). The spearbract is Lumiere Green (Plate XVII).

Foliage: An erect Dark Green (Plate XVIII) perennial herb with straight,smooth stems, having many lateral branches. A plant three years or olderinitiates between 25 and 35 stems that grow to a height between six andeight feet. The average spear diameter at soil level is between 3/4 and1 inch. The mature fern is Cedar Green (Plate VI).

The first lateral branch is initiated at or above the 16th node in thespring when the spear is 11 to 12 inches in height and at maturity whenthe cane is 17.5 inches in height. The mature cane is Grass Green (PlateVI) and the cane bract is Ochraceous-Buff (Plate XV).

Inflorescence: One to four, usually two in axils with cladodes. FlowersYellow-Green (Plate VI), campanulate, stamens 6 and 0.60 to 0.65 cm. inlength. The color of the flower is Pale Virdine Yellow (Plate V).

Fruit: None.

Crown-root: Crown a woody rhizome, with long, fleshy storage roots andfibrous absorptive roots. Fleshy storage roots 1/4 to 3/8 inch indiameter and many feet in length.

We claim:
 1. The new and distinct variety of asparagus plant hereindescribed and illustrated and identified by the characteristicsenumerated above.